Troops sweep into northeast Nigeria cities

Troops sweep into northeast Nigeria cities

MAIDUGURI/YOLA, Nigeria, May 15 - Nigerian troops moved into cities in the northeast on Wednesday, after President Goodluck Jonathan declared a state of emergency there in response to an Islamist insurgency.

Residents and Reuters journalists saw army trucks carrying soldiers enter the cities of Yola, capital of Adamawa state, and Maiduguri after Jonathan declared the emergency on Tuesday in three states - Borno, Yobe and Adamawa - following attacks on government targets by militants of the Boko Haram group.

Military officials in the northeast and at headquarters in the capital Abuja were not immediately available for comment.